Giants (12-6) 7, (ss) Indians (9-5-2) 6

(ss) Indians (9-5-2) 12, Rangers (6-9) 2

Hits: Against the Rangers in Surprise, first baseman Andy Marte went 2-for-4 with a grand slam in the first inning. … Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo went 1-for-3 with his second homer of the spring. … Designated hitter Shelley Duncan went 2-for-4 with his first homer of the spring. … Starting pitcher Aaron Laffey allowed a run on four hits and struck out three in four innings to get the win. … Chris Perez pitched a scoreless ninth inning and struck out one. … Against the Giants in Scottsdale, center fielder Grady Sizemore had hits in all three of his trips to the plate. He scored a run and drove one in. … First baseman Matt LaPorta went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. … Reliever Jamey Wright pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed just a hit and struck out two.  

Misses: Against the Rangers in Surprise, Reliever Jensen Lewis allowed a run on two hits in his only inning of work in the seventh. … Against the Giants in Scottsdale, Justin Masterson offered up his worst start of the spring. He allowed six runs on nine hits and a walk over 3 1/3 innings of a scheduled four-inning outing. … Right fielder Austin Kearns and third baseman Jhonny Peralta each went 0-for-3 and struck out twice. … Reliever Tony Sipp allowed the game-winning run in the ninth inning on a hit and a walk.  

Run mongers: The Indians battered Rangers’ pitchers for six runs over the final three innings of the rout in Surprise.

Attendance: 12,017 at Scottsdale Stadium, 6,668 at Surprise Stadium.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The Indians made their first round of cuts Friday, reducing their roster by seven players.

Cleveland optioned right-handed pitchers Jeanmar Gomez and Hector Rondon, and catcher Carlos Santana and outfielder Jordan Brown to Triple-A Columbus, while also optioning infielders Carlos Rivero and Nick Weglarz to Double-A Akron. Infielder Beau Mills was re-assigned to minor league camp.

Rondon, 22, and Santana, 24, are considered the Indians’ top prospects.

Santana, who is expected to join the big league roster at some point during the season, hit .250 (4-for-16) with two doubles and an RBI in eight exhibition games.

Rondon was impressive in his second big league training camp. He went 1-0 and didn’t allow a run in three exhibition appearances (5 2/3 innings), while striking out five.

“He’s not afraid. He goes right after guys,” said Indians manager Manny Acta. “Our thought is that he still needs to get better with his secondary pitches.”

Cleveland’s spring training roster now stands at 48 players, with 23 still needing to go.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Hands down, Grady Sizemore has been considered the Indians’ best overall player. Now he’s got some competition. If there’s a member of Cleveland’s projected starting lineup that best personifies a five-tool player, it is South Korean outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, who appears poised to have a breakout season after putting up impressive numbers in 2009. Choo, 27, was not in the lineup Thursday for the Indians’ 6-2 victory over the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark, but has played well this spring, batting .375 (9-for-24) with a double, triple, home run and six RBIs in eight exhibition games.

“Choo’s a great all-around player,” designated hitter Travis Hafner said of the Indians’ starting right fielder. “He does everything on the baseball field well. And the thing is I think he’s just tapping into his potential. He had a great season last year, hitting .300 and hitting some home runs (20), but I think he’s just kind of scratching the surface of what he can do.

“He’s got tremendous power. I think you’ll even see his home run totals go up more the more he learns pitchers and learns how to drive the ball with more consistency.”

The Indians got a front-row view of Choo’s potential in his first full season in the majors last year. Offensively, he hit .300 with 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases and 86 RBIs in 156 games. He was one of just four players in the majors — Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun, Arizona’s Justin Upton and Florida’s Hanley Ramirez — to bat .300, hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases. He was the first Asian-born player to accomplish the feat.

Cleveland’s Shin-soo Choo hits an RBI-double during a game last season against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The right fielder is becoming one of the Indians’ top players at the plate and in the outfield.

Defensively, Choo has one of the strongest arms in the majors, posted a .979 fielding percentage and ranked fourth in the American League with 11 assists.

“I put up some good numbers,” Choo said. “After the season, I got a lot of confidence in myself, but I still need to work on everything. I think I need to be more aggressive, not just on offense, but defense, too.”

Still, Choo’s goals this season are less than modest ones. He expects to provide the Indians with a repeat performance from last year, if not better. Many believe he has the ability to bat .300 and hit 30 homers with 30 stolen bases.

“Always my first goal is .300,” said Choo, who was limited to 94 games in 2008 after Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, but still hit .309 with 14 homers and 66 RBIs. “The power’s coming. The home runs are automatic, so I don’t think about hitting home runs.”

Cleveland manager Manny Acta opened camp by moving Sizemore down to the second spot in the batting order, while replacing him with Asdrubal Cabrera at leadoff. There was discussion over whether Choo should hit clean-up rather than Hafner, but Choo has been batting third this spring, and he’s happy with where he’s at.

“I know I’m not fourth spot,” Choo said. “My favorite spot is three. Four hitter is only power. Three-hole does everything, run, hit for power.”

That’s what the Indians are counting on from Choo this season.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or ctsports1@yahoo.com.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Jeremy Sowers finally took the mound Thursday, making his exhibition debut and allowing two runs on three hits through two innings of the Indians’ 6-2 victory over the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark.

Sowers, Cleveland’s firstround draft pick (sixth overall) in 2004, has been working his way back from left-shoulder inflammation. He retired the side in order in the first before allowing three consecutive hits to start the second, including a two-run home run to Jonny Gomes.

“I suppose there’s two ways to look at it,” Sowers said. ‘Was I healthy, yes.’ The results were all right. When you’re in spring training, you don’t expect to come out guns a blazin’ and painting the knees.”

Sowers, 26, began dealing with shoulder problems shortly after last season ended. He opted not to undergo surgery, feeling rest would cure the ailment.

“When you go out and play catch and feel pain, it’s not very encouraging,” Sowers said. “It’s one of those things you just keep working through. Slowly but surely, it starts feeling better.

“Everything got stronger and more stabilized. I like the spot it’s in right now.”

The same can’t be said for his spot with the Indians. Sowers, who has made 71 starts for Cleveland the past four seasons, is not in the race for one of two openings in the rotation, and has only an outside shot at winning a job in the bullpen. He is out of minor-league options and is expected to open the season on the disabled list, with the Indians not wanting to risk losing him on waivers.

“(The Indians) just want me to be healthy,” said Sowers, who has failed to live up to expectations throughout the majority of his tenure in Cleveland. “Whatever ends up being the case, is fine with me. Ultimately, it’s just about being healthy.

“I’ve been treated exceptionally well by this organization. If I walked out of the door and they said, ‘goodbye,’ that would be fine. They’re going to do what’s best for this team.”

Injury updates

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (strained left groin) said he would return to the lineup today in one of the Indians’ split-squad games.

Manager Manny Acta confirmed as much. Cabrera has been on the shelf since last Friday when he sustained the injury diving back to third base in an exhibition game against the Angels in Goodyear.

◾ Acta said closer Kerry Wood (strained right lat) played catch Thursday, but the manager still doesn’t have a timetable for the right-hander’s return. “I know it’s a story for (the media), but it’s a non-issue to us,” Acta said. “He’s a closer. He doesn’t have to be out there every day.”

◾ Acta was asked if there was a progress report on first baseman Russell Branyan, who has yet to play in an exhibition game, still dealing with a lower-back issue.

Acta’s reply? “No.”

Throw strikes

Acta’s insistence that his staff throws first-pitch strikes has paid off this spring. Entering Thursday, Indians pitchers had issued the third-fewest walks in the majors (39), and ranked second (first in the American League) with a 3.68 ERA.

Cleveland was one of the league leaders in walks last season.

Medical moment

Reliever Jason Grilli underwent surgery Wednesday in Vail, Colorado, to repair the quadriceps tendon in his right knee. The righthander was a candidate for one of two spots in the Indians’ bullpen before sustaining the injury during an agility drill shortly into camp.

Disciplinary day

Right-handed pitcher Jeffry Cleto, a 19-year-old Dominican Summer League player for the Indians, was suspended 50 games by MLB for testing positive for banned substances. He was signed this offseason and has been released at no cost to the Indians.

Another DSL player, Steven Lebron, was also suspended for 50 games earlier this spring.

Roundin’ third

Former Indian Aaron Boone paid a visit to the Cleveland clubhouse prior to the game. Boone retired this season after undergoing heart surgery and now is an analyst for ESPN.

Indians minor leaguers will open the exhibition season today.

◾ Today, 4:05, Indians (ss) vs. Rangers at Surprise’s Surprise Stadium/Indians (ss) vs. Giants at Scottsdale’s Scottsdale Stadium.

Rangers game on WMMS 100.7-FM (delayed 7 p.m.). Aaron Laffey (0-1, 5.40) vs. Texas’ Brandon McCarthy (1-1, 3.60). Justin Masterson (1-1, 1.29) vs. San Francisco’s Jonathan Sanchez (1-1, 7.71).

Hits

• Designated hitter Travis Hafner hit his first home run of the spring, a solo blast in the fourth inning that traveled well above the 410-foot wall in dead center.
• Left fielder Trevor Crowe went 2-for-3 with a double and made a nice running catch down the line in the opening inning.
• Utility infield candidate Mark Grudzielanek made a diving snare on line drive in the fourth, then threw to first to double up the runner and end the inning.
• First baseman Wes Hodges continued his impressive performance at the plate. He went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and his first homer of the spring, and is batting .375 (9-for-24) with three doubles and seven RBIs in 10 games.

Misses

• Jeremy Sowers made his exhibition debut and after retiring the side in order in the first, allowed three consecutive hits to begin the second, including a two-run homer to Jonny Gomes.

Rising star

Prized pitching prospect, right-hander Hector Rondon, tossed three scoreless innings and allowed two hits, while striking out four. He hasn’t allowed a run in three exhibition appearances (5 2/ 3 innings).

Attendance

5,478 at Goodyear Ballpark

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or ctsports1@yahoo.com.